Uzbekistan: Asia's 'heartbreak' team finally reach the World Cup

Uzbekistan: Asia's 'heartbreak' team finally reach the World Cup

Uzbekistan are set to finally make their World Cup debut as an independent nation - after years of near misses. More than the Score's Mani Djazmi speaks to Jaloliddin Masharipov, a winger who's been part of the Uzbekistan team for more than a decade, about how the team is getting ready for its big moment, and their star player - Manchester City's Abdukodir Khusanov. Jaloliddin's also looking forward to being reunited with his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo when Uzbekistan face Portugal. Mani also hears from BBC Uzbek's Firuz Rahimi, who explains how much Uzbekistan has invested into building a squad that's ready for the World Cup, and what finally qualifying means for the country's national image. Is Italy legend Fabio Cannavaro the coach who can take Uzbekistan where they want to go? More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

World Cup 2026: will Africa win its first title?

Half a century on from Pele's infamous prophecy that an African nation would win the World Cup before the year 2000, could the continent finally deliver its first World Cup in 2026? The BBC’s Lee James is joined by the former Democratic Republic of Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani and the former Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker to discuss the hopes of the ten African sides competing in the tournament. They discuss the impact Morocco reaching the semi-finals in 2022 has had, the strength of Senegal and give their thoughts on when an African nation could win a World Cup. Senegal’s Iliman Ndiaye tells the podcast they’re going to the tournament with the aim of winning it and they never fear anyone. Former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh tells us it’s possible an African team could go one better than Morocco did in 2022 and that he wants to see an African team win the tournament in his lifetime. Plus, we also hear from Ghanian legend Micheal Essien. More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

World Cup 2026: The favourites, the debutants and the politics

The United States, Canada and Mexico will host the most prestigious football tournament in the world. The holders Argentina will start as one of the favourites along with the likes of Spain, France, and Brazil. There are also some new names with Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan competing in the finals for the first time ever. Lee James is joined by John Bennett, Isaac Fanin and Mani Djazmi to discuss the issues, both on and off the field, affecting the tournament. We also hear from some of those who will be playing including South Korea captain and former Tottenham Hotspur striker, Son Heung-min and Argentina World Cup winner, Geronimo Rulli. More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

How Kei Kamara made history in the MLS and Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone striker Kei Kamara has announced his retirement from football aged 41, after a 20-year playing career that saw him go from child refugee to one of Major League Soccer’s most popular players. More than the Score’s Lee James hears his story, from memories of growing up amid civil war in Sierra Leone to a football career that took him all across the USA, as well as a spell in the Premier League with Norwich City. Kei also explains how he took an unusual route to earn his big break in the MLS. More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the World Cup to F1, golf to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like heavyweight boxing champion Fabio Wardley, Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, viral figure-skating camera operator Jordan Cowan and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore

Jordan Cowan: The camera behind ice skating's viral hits

Figure skating was the social media hit of the Winter Olympics, with stars like Alyssa Liu becoming globally famous over the course of the Games. But it wasn't just the skaters going viral - fans' eyes were also drawn to Jordan Cowan, a cameraman in a sparkling white suit, who took to the ice after routines to capture the emotion and atmosphere like never before. Formerly a competitive skater himself, Jordan now uses his on-ice skills and passion for cinema to create intimate films of the world's greatest skaters at work. His On Ice Perspectives YouTube and social media channels have become hugely popular, giving fans a new way of seeing figure skating - and also helping to introduce the sport to a new generation. More than the Score's Sophia Hartley talks to Jordan Cowan about how his childhood in Los Angeles sparked his love of film, the methods he uses to capture skating from angles few people get to see, and the transformative effect social media is having on his sport. More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the World Cup to F1, golf to figure skating, and Grand Slam tennis to Diamond League athletics. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like heavyweight boxing champion Fabio Wardley, Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, trailblazing Samoan athlete Alex Rose and cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from football super-agents to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore